Woman speaks of horror she felt as her car was hit during Sheffield sledgehammer rampage

A woman who was visiting Sheffield for Tramlines has spoken of her horror as she was crashed into during Arshad Mohammed’s city centre sledgehammer rampage.
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Mel McDonald, a 24-year-old designer from Corby, was driving to the shops before she went to the festival when Arshad Mohammed crashed into her in his Kia Sedona people-carrier on July 19 last year.

Mohammed, 50, of Nether Edge, who was on trial at Sheffield Crown Court today (January 15), drove his car the wrong way up London Road, hitting numerous vehicles before boarding a bus with the sledgehammer, smashing a window with it and stealing a fire extinguisher.

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Ms McDonald has spoken to The Star of the fear she felt as Mohammed drove into her in her white Toyota Yaris, pictured in the video, even though he ‘must have seen’ her, destroying her car.

Mel's car was damaged as Arshad Mohammed smashed into her on his rampage.Mel's car was damaged as Arshad Mohammed smashed into her on his rampage.
Mel's car was damaged as Arshad Mohammed smashed into her on his rampage.

“I was just on my way to the shop and I got about 100 metres down the road when I first saw him,” she said.

“He just started rampaging and kept going up and down the road. He stopped before he got to me but then he started again and just carried on, even though he must have seen me there.

“When he hit me the car shook and I was really scared. I didn’t know what was going on. I didn’t know what I was going to do.

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“Then I saw him carrying on, hitting other people in other cars on the road. He went racing off after he hit me, driving up the road the wrong way.”

The damage done to Ms McDonald’s car meant that she had to use her own insurance to get a new one, and the ordeal meant that she was unable to enjoy her weekend in Sheffield.

“I cried after he hit me,” she said. “I called the police straight away. I had plans for the night to go to Tramlines but I was really shaken up and wasn’t going to go.

“We eventually did and got there about 10pm but this whole thing really put a massive downer on the whole evening.”

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Mohammed pleaded guilty to affray, possessing a sledgehammer and theft of a fire extinguisher but denied dangerous driving and driving while disqualified.

He was banned from driving for four years, in August 2018.

He is due to be sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court tomorrow (January 16).